Hot new travel destination recommended by NYT: Ramallah

The barrier walls here are certainly intimidating, and Ramallah doesn’t have the holy mystique of Bethlehem, but this city on the West Bank has become a destination for thousands of young North Americans, Europeans and offspring of the Palestinian elite. Some work for locally based non-governmental organizations or new businesses; others are visiting. Many of the hot spots are set in restored Ottoman buildings, streamlined Art Deco houses that date from the British mandate, or atop new high-rises. Some residents say the scene is an undiscovered challenge to what Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Amman, Jordan — each a few miles but a psychological world away — offer young people in the Middle East…

“We wanted to make five-star gourmet Palestinian food,” Sari Sakakini said. “We wanted to tell people that, even occupied, we can make something above standard.” His Italian-trained chefs, Samer Jadoun and Iad Abu Khlaf, are particularly proud of their fusion risottos, like risotto al maklouba, made with eggplant, cauliflower and spices. Still, Mr. Sakakini is concerned about the fragility of a business where tensions with Israel can flare at any moment. “It’s not easy,” he said. “Something could happen tomorrow.”